Nissan Armada Goes Dark for 2027 — and Quietly Drops Its Cheapest Trim
The blacked-out Dark Armor package costs $1,900 on the SL grade — but the bigger change is a trim walk that now starts $5,450 higher than last year.
Nissan's blackout styling program has reached the biggest vehicle the brand sells. The 2027 Armada adds a $1,900 Dark Armor package — but the more consequential change sits lower in the price sheet, where the entry-level SV grade has disappeared and the cost of getting into Nissan's full-size SUV has climbed by nearly $5,500.
Dark Armor builds on the SL grade and darkens most of the brightwork: the roof rails, window surrounds, grille, and lower fascia all go dark, joined by black 20-inch wheels and black exterior badges.
Inside, the package adds black leatherette upholstery and a panoramic moonroof, which is otherwise an option on the SL.
Darkened accents also spread across the dashboard, steering wheel, and center console, framing the dual 12.3-inch displays that come standard on the SL.
The 2027 lineup opens with the SL 4x2 at $64,290 before a $2,275 destination charge, followed by the SL 4x4 at $67,290, the Platinum at $75,790, the PRO-4X at $78,990, the NISMO at $80,690, and the Platinum Reserve at $84,590. ProPILOT Assist 2.1, Nissan's hands-free highway system, becomes standard on the Platinum Reserve; on the Platinum it remains a $3,300 package.
Those numbers hide the year's real story. The 2026 Armada opened with an SV grade at $58,840, so with that trim gone, the cheapest Armada now costs $5,450 more. Trim for trim, the increase is far smaller — the SL 4x2 is up $760 over its 2026 equivalent, and destination adds another $85 — but the Armada's floor now sits above the Chevrolet Tahoe's, which starts at $60,700 before destination, according to Edmunds.
Dropping the base grade while adding a blacked-out variant is becoming a pattern in Nissan showrooms. The 2027 Murano did the same thing in August, losing its SV trim and gaining a Dark Armor model, while the package itself first appeared on the 2026 Frontier and Rogue. The Armada version carries the same pitch: mid-lineup equipment with a stealthier look, without the step up to the $75,790 Platinum.
Mechanically, nothing changes. Every Armada keeps the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 with 425 hp and 516 lb-ft, a nine-speed automatic, and an 8,500-pound tow rating, while the NISMO makes 460 hp on premium fuel.
One timing note: Nissan says the 2027 Armada is on sale now, but the company's consumer site lists the Dark Armor version as arriving in winter 2026 — so the blacked-out model may reach dealers a few months behind the rest of the range.
